Materials Needed:
Sage
6 candles
6 holders
Evergreen boughs
Cakes
Ale
Green Ribbon
Red Markers

Priest
Priestess
4 Corners

Goal: Spring is coming and this is the ritual to welcome the planting season and clean out ourselves from the long winter.

Preparation: Ritual circle should be swept with a besom and then cleared with Sage smoke. All participants should be given a ribbon to write something they wish to rid themselves of. Fire should be lit before participants enter circle. Evergreen boughs should be placed by altar in small pile.

Opening: Participants gather and enter circle. Each person should stand around the circle where they feel right. Corners should move to there place at this time. Priest and Priestess greet each person as they enter with appropriate greeting.

Once everyone is in place Priestess welcomes participants.

Priestess:
"Welcome to all. Tonight we Celebrate Imbloc and welcome the coming of spring."

(Turns to East and East begins summoning of circle)

East:
"We welcome Eurus
Wind of the East, Home of Air
To our Circle join and watch over us."

(Lights candle and turns to South)

South:
"We welcome Notus
Wind of the South, Home of Fire
To our Circle join and watch over us."

(Lights candle and turns to West)

West:
"We welcome Zephyrus
Wind of the West, Home of Water
To our Circle join and watch over us."

(Lights candle and turns to North)

North:
"We welcome Boreas
Wind of the East, Home of Air
To our Circle join and watch over us."

(Lights candle and turns to Priest and Priestess)

Priest & Priestess:
"We ask the Lord and Lady, Hecate and Hades, to watch over us and our ritual."

(Lights candles and turns to center of circle)

Priestess:
"Tonight we join together to prepare for the coming of spring. The time of long dark nights and cold days are giving way to the warmth and rebirth of the land. The time to prepare for the sowing and planting. We must first make a clean sweep of our past."

Priest:
"In years gone by at this time of year food was becoming scarce as stocks saved at harvest had begun to run out. Hunted animals would be thin from the scant growth of winter. The surface of the land is bleak but underneath it is rested and ready for the coming time of growth."

Priestess:
"Men and women who have spent their time mending clothes and tools are preparing for the coming time of rebirth. Clothes and tools and bodies will be ready for the hard work and busy time the rebirth of the land will bring."

Priest:
"Throughout this time evergreen branches have stayed green to remind us the earth is not dead. It is only resting and readying for the new growth of spring. We use the evergreen to welcome spring."

(Pass out evergreen boughs)

Priestess:
"When the spring arrives we cleanse our homes of all that built up during the winter months when they were closed. Before then we need to clean ourselves of our troubles, doubts, and fears. We begin this ridding of our problems by identifying them and casting them aside."

Priest:
"Everyone please tie the ribbons upon which you have written that which you wish to cleansed from your life. As we tie them to the boughs picture in your mind these things leaving your life and never returning. Then when you feel ready for the trouble to leave you, toss the bough in the fire."

(Once everyone is done tossing boughs into the fire then participants begin to chant. Chant should be led by Priest and Priestess and ended when they feel it has accomplished its purpose and/or all boughs are burned up.)

CHANT:
"We all come from the God
And to Him we do return
Like a spark of flame
Floating to the heavens"

"We all come from the Goddess
And to Her we do return
Like a drop of rain
Flowing to the oceans"

CAKES AND ALE:

(Once everyone has settled from burning the boughs)

Priestess:
"Now that our work is done please join us in sharing the harvest of the God and Goddess."

(Priest and Priestess turn back to altar area and collect Cakes and Ale)

Priest:
"To complete our celebration join together in sharing this drink."

(Tosses some into the fire and shares Ale with Priestess)

Priestess:
"To complete our celebration join together in sharing this food."

(Tosses some into the fire and shares cake with Priest and then both move to first person in the circle and share with all participants)

(Once all have participated in Cakes and Ale Priest and Priestess return to the altar)

CLOSING

Priest & Priestess:
"We thank the Lord and Lady, Hecate and Hades, for attending our ritual. Go if you must, stay if you will. So mote it be."

(Extinguishes candles and turns to West)

North:
"We bid farewell to Boreas
Wind of the East, Home of Air
For attending our ritual. Go if you must, stay if you will.
So mote it be."

(Extinguishes candles and turns to West)

West:
"We bid farewell to Zephyrus
Wind of the West, Home of Water
For attending our ritual. Go if you must, stay if you will.
So mote it be."

(Extinguishes candles and turns to South)

South:
"We bid farewell to Notus
Wind of the South, Home of Fire
For attending our ritual. Go if you must, stay if you will.
So mote it be."

(Extinguishes candles and turns to East)

East:
"We bid farewell to Eurus
Wind of the East, Home of Air
For attending our ritual. Go if you must, stay if you will.
So mote it be."

(Extinguishes candles and turns to Priest and Priestess)

(Ask everyone to come closer to fire and joins hands)

Priest & Priestess:
"We thank you all for coming and until we come together again."

ALL:
"Merry Meet, Merry Part and Merry Meet Again!"